Label printing apparatus

Abstract

A label printing apparatus includes a printing unit for printing an image on a front surface of a label tape having a back surface bearing an adhesive layer via an ink ribbon having a back surface bearing a removal layer. The apparatus further includes a superposed-travelling guiding mechanism for guiding traveling of the label tape and the used label tape together, with the removal layer of the ink ribbon being contacted with and superposed on the adhesive layer of the label tape.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A label printing apparatus for use with a label tape having a front surface and a back surface, the back surface comprising an adhesive layer and an ink ribbon having a front surface for contacting the front surface of the label tape and a back surface comprising a removal layer, the apparatus comprising: a printing means for printing an image on the front surface of the label tape through contact between the front surface of the label tape and the front surface of the ink ribbon to form a used label tape and a used ink ribbon; and   a superposed-traveling guiding means for guiding traveling of the label tape and the used ink ribbon together, and wherein the removal layer of the used ink ribbon is contacted with and superposed on the adhesive layer of the used label tape.   
     
     
       2. The label printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tape feed core, whereon the label tape and the ink ribbon are wound together such that the front surface of the label tape is removably contacted with and superposed upon the front surface of the ink ribbon and such that the label tape and the ink ribbon are separable after passage thereof through the printing means. 
     
     
       3. The label printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the superposed-traveling guiding means is set upstream of the printing means in the traveling direction of the label tape. 
     
     
       4. The label printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing means is comprised of a printing head and a platen roller. 
     
     
       5. The label printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the superposed-traveling guiding means comprises a plurality of guide rollers for guiding traveling of the used ink ribbon separably from the used from the used label tape and about the outer periphery of the tape feed core, wherein the first of the plurality of guide rollers is located downstream of the printing means in the tape traveling direction, and wherein a pair of merging rollers is disposed downstream of the first of the plurality of guide rollers for contacting and merging together the adhesive layer of the used label tape and the removal layer of the used ink ribbon. 
     
     
       6. The label printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ink ribbon is comprised of an ink layer applied with thermo-sensitive transfer ink. 
     
     
       7. The label printing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a transmission means for associating the merging rollers with the platen roller so that the merging rollers and the platen roller are driven to rotate at the same peripheral velocity. 
     
     
       8. The label printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a tape feed core winding the label tape thereabout; and   a ribbon feed core winding the ink ribbon thereabout,   wherein the label tape fed from the tape feed core and the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon feed core are guided to superpose and contact the front surface of the label tape with the front surface of the ink ribbon, and wherein the printing means is comprised of a printing head and a platen roller disposed oppositely such that a gap is formed therebetween for receiving the label tape superposed and contacted with the ink ribbon.